Access HelpXplain from H&M?

Nothing is perfect! This is where you can post your ideas and wishes for functions you'd like to see in Help & Manual. Current version only please (H&M7).

Moderators: Alexander Halser, Tim Green

Post Reply
User avatar
Martin Wynne
Posts: 2656
Joined: Mon May 12, 2003 3:21 pm
Location: West of the Severn, UK

Access HelpXplain from H&M?

Unread post by Martin Wynne »

If HelpXplain is available on the system, I can right-click on an Xplain in the H&M topic editor, and Edit with HelpXplain...

If I right-click on an image I can do Picture > Edit Picture with Impict...

How about Picture > Convert Picture to Xplain... ?

To launch HX and create an Xplain using the image as the first, and maybe the only, slide. Add HX objects and animations and/or additional slides. Then close HX and automatically insert the Xplain in the topic in place of the image.

All that can be done now, but it involves a lot of opening and closing and accessing of files. Doing it all from within H&M would make it a lot easier and faster, and error-free. If you can edit an Xplain from within H&M, why not create one?

Martin.
Simon_Dismore
Posts: 205
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:57 pm

Re: Access HelpXplain from H&M?

Unread post by Simon_Dismore »

Martin Wynne wrote:How about Picture > Convert Picture to Xplain...?
+1 for that. But if I'm being picky I'd Replace picture with xplain or Create xplain from picture, given that the picture itself remains intact.
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23156
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Access HelpXplain from H&M?

Unread post by Tim Green »

That's a great idea. One of the things that you only start to notice after a while in HelpXplain, because it's not quite so obvious, is that it's also a good tool for enhancing screenshots. You need to get your mind around the "first slide" paradigm and remember to keep the main image flush with the slide borders, but once you've got those points it's plain sailing.

Tip on this: The key tool is Context Menu (on the background image): Size > Fit Slide to Objects (Autosize). Or the Size menu in the Home tab (under Group/Ungroup).
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
chfrmeyer
Posts: 63
Joined: Tue Sep 21, 2010 5:07 pm

Re: Access HelpXplain from H&M?

Unread post by chfrmeyer »

Almost a year after the original post, with versions 8.1 of H&M and 1.3.0.1290 installed on my Computer and able to run:

When I try doing the subject of this thread/conversation (Access HelpXplain from H&M), a H&M message tells me that I Need to download and install HelpXplain - which already is installed and which I have already done some work or trying to work with.

Why this?
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23156
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Access HelpXplain from H&M?

Unread post by Tim Green »

chfrmeyer wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 9:26 am When I try doing the subject of this thread/conversation (Access HelpXplain from H&M), a H&M message tells me that I Need to download and install HelpXplain - which already is installed and which I have already done some work or trying to work with.
I just checked this and you are right: What is happening is that you are getting this dialog when you try to edit Xplains that you originally created directly with the screenshot tool in Help+Manual. This will be fixed as soon as possible. At the moment, I am afraid you will have to switch to HelpXplain and open the .xplain that you want to edit there manually. I just tried a few things like renaming and reinserting it but it seems that the file currently has something inside it identifying it as a HM-generated Xplain. :?
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
User avatar
Tim Green
Site Admin
Posts: 23156
Joined: Mon Jun 24, 2002 9:11 am
Location: Bruehl, Germany
Contact:

Re: Access HelpXplain from H&M?

Unread post by Tim Green »

Update:

You can fix this easily, it's a setting I didn't know about yet myself: Open View > Program Options and in the General tab set the HelpXplain Editor: option at the bottom of the dialog. It will usually be "C:\Program Files (x86)\EC Software\HelpXplain\HelpXplain.EXE". 8)
Regards,
Tim (EC Software Documentation & User Support)

Private support:
Please do not email or PM me with private support requests -- post to the forum directly.
Post Reply